A couple of years ago, I went camping when it started to pour. Cats and dogs, torrential downpour, hurricane levels of rain. So I did some research on how to start a campfire with wet wood.
By using dry tinder to start the fire, shaving off the dry inner pieces of wood, and splitting logs so you can access the dry interior, you can start a fire with wet wood. There are some steps you can take to be ready in case of heavy rain such as preparing your own tinder. It’s also a good idea to create a wind and rain break to protect the rain while the fire’s starting.
Read on for more details and tips on how to do this.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Wet Start Tinder – One of the hardest parts in starting a fire with wet wood is getting the initial spark to take. You need the hot flame from tinder to start the rest of the fuel. The wet start tinder at the link works well if you want to buy your own.
If you want to save some cash (I know I do!), you can always make your own wet start tinder. What I like to do is take some dryer lint and stuff it into an empty toilet paper roll. Make several of these and stick them in a sealable plastic bag and keep with your camping gear, just in case.
Knife – The knife is an invaluable tool for any outdoor situation, but it’s especially useful here with starting a wet wood fire. Use your own if you have one or try the linked affordable one.
Hatchet – To start a fire with wet wood, you’re going to need to split larger logs open. While using a hatchet to split logs is not as ideal as a using a maul or wedge, it can do the job in a pinch.
Fire Starter – Whatever you like to use to start fires will work here. It could be a lighter or matches. You can also get creative by starting fires without a lighter, but if it’s raining I suggest sticking with something easy to use if possible.
Wood- To round out your fire setup, you need kindling and fuel. Kindling are smaller branches and pieces of wood. Fuel refers to the logs you need to get started to build a fire up into a sustainable heater.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Below we break down how to start a campfire with wet wood. The main thing to remember is that the principles of fire starting are the same, but it requires a lot more patience and energy.
1) SET UP YOUR AREA
For this step, follow the common set up procedures including digging out a fire pit or using one that’s already there and gathering your materials. With rain as a consideration, you may want to do some extra steps.
Pro-tip: Digging a deeper fire pit can offer some extra rain protection. Make sure you dig little trenches so the air can still get into the fire. Without good air flow, the fire won’t stay lit for long.
Create a wind and rain break by using a tarp or rain fly angled against the direction of the wind and rain. You can also use larger logs or rocks to stack up against the wind and rain.
Warning! Don’t put any covers so close to the fire that smoke gathers underneath. Inhaled smoke can damage your lungs and be hazardous to your health. Make sure the smoke can still be vented past whatever you’re using to stop the rain.
2) GET AT THE DRY WOOD
Unless the wood has been sitting underwater for a long time, the inside of the wood is still going to be dry. We need to get at that dry wood.
Using your hatchet, split and cut the kindling and fuel, so the inner dry wood is exposed. Use your knife to shave off and carve some dry wood to create shavings that light quickly like tinder.
Related Reading: How to Use a Hatchet to Split Wood
3) CONSTRUCT YOUR FIRE
While there are many ways to construct your fire (i.e. Cabin style, lean-to, Dakota fire hole, etc), I generally recommend the tipi style for most fires but especially a wet wood fire. It’s easy to set up, burns hot, and can be used to dry out wood quickly with a simple twist.
Place your wet start tinder and wood shavings in the middle of your fire pit. Lean small and large kindling against each other so the dry, inner part of the wood faces in towards the tinder.
Now for the twist: stack your fuel logs on their sides so the dry, inner wood faces into the tipi and sit about one half to one inch away from the center. Do this so the fuel creates a little hallway with the tinder and kindling in the center. Keep the top edge of the fuel at the same height as the top of the tipi.
The hallway allows for air to reach the tipi while the stack lets the wet fuel dry out quicker and provide some additional rain protection.
4) BURN, BURN, BURN
The key is in the setup. At this point, you just start the fire how you normally would. Use your matches or lighter to start the tinder. Make sure the kindling takes (if it doesn’t start keep feeding the fire more tinder).
Once the kindling takes, keep inserting more and more while the fuel logs dry out until they take as well. After the fuel takes, use a stick or metal rod to adjust the fuel logs onto the tipi.
Warning! This step is easy to explain, but it can take a while with wet wood. It may take some time for the fuel to take. Just keep adding kindling to the fire and keep the fire as hot and protected as you can. Don’t give up!
5) PREHEAT THE WET WOOD
Now that your fire has started, you can’t relax. Keep adding wet fuel to the hallway or to the tipi (only if the fire has been going strong for a while).
Make sure you add the wet wood farther ahead of time than you otherwise normally would. It still needs the time to dry out. You don’t want to go through all of this effort getting the fire started only to lose it because the new fuel wasn’t dry enough to start.
6) MAXIMIZE AIR FLOW
As your wood burns down to ashes, the coals may block the airflow trenches you dug earlier or just stop up the air flow. Even with a roaring fire in dry weather, air flow is needed to keep a fire going. Make sure to clear out paths for air to get to the fire.
Repeat these last two steps and your fire is going to keep going for a long time. By the way, you just made your fire! Nicely done!
CONCLUSION
We hope you enjoyed learning about how to start a campfire with wet wood. It requires some more concentration and preparation, but wet wood doesn’t have to be a trip-ender. If you remember to get at that dry wood, take your time in feeding the fire, and keep the air flowing, you’re going to be just fine.
Now get out there and enjoy the fresh air!
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